Translating system



Aug- 4, M936- W. s. LEMMON TRANSLATG SYSTEM Filed Sept. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS.

Aug, 4, 1936. w. s. LEMMoN TRANSLATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HG2. 1 T

l A 44 ffl/1% ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATI-:s

2,049,705 TnANsLArmG sYs'frnM Walter S. Lemmon, New York, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N., Y., a corporation of New York Application September 8, 1934, Serial No. 743,208

6 claims.

This invention relates to translating systems and more particularly to systems operable under the control ofindicia storingmeans to selectively operate the mechanism embodied in the system. y The present invention is adapted particularly to translating systems to provide automatic controlling means which in part is in the .nature ofa tape, sheet, cr ribbon on which characters or other indicia .to be reproduced are represented by perforations to selectively operate the particular associated translating mechanism.

The perforations are formed by any 'suitable means and are provided onv a tape or sheet wide enough to contain a longitudinal series of perforations for the control of each element of the machine to be operated and .used in connection with the translating procedure. l

A sensing device is provided to cooperate with the perforated sheet in such a manner that when a particular perforation is sensed, a circuit corresponding to the represented indicial is energized to further control the particular associated translating mechanism.

The present invention is particularly adapted for remote control of the translating devices which may be teletypewriting devices, punches, accounting and calculating machines, facsimile devices and the like and which are controlled by some 'form of indiciarepresentations.

Therefore this invention will Yloe explained in conjunction with one particular type of mechanism adaptable to be controlled by indicia representations. It is obvious that the invention to be disclosed then is not limited to the embodied mechanism in the system and that the presented form is merely for illstrativepurposes of the system.

The particular form oi.' translating system explained in conjunction with the controlling means to be disclosed is a printing telegraph system operable by a line or radio network. This system involves the shifting of the character impulse along the axis of a timed scale, the position of the impulse thereon determining A the character tovbe selected; and is of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent v1,927,077 issued to G. W. Watson, September 19, 1933.

It is therefore anI4 object of this invention to provide controlling means rendered operable by a/ character storing device, such as a perforated sheet or strip bearing character representations and to further-control the associated character recording means to cause a record to be made f a character corresponding to a particular character representation on the storing device.

Another object ofthe present invention is the provision for operating the character storing device in synchronism with the character recording means to enable the translating system to be operated at the maximum transmission speed.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sensing device cooperating with the character storing means.

Further and other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims, and shown in the drawings, which by way of illustration show what is now considered to be the preferred embodimentV of the invention.

In the drawings:

I Fig. 1 is` a front elevational view of the sensing device. y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. '20 Fig. 3 is a side view of the sensing device.

Figs. 4 and 4A show schematically systems by means of which the invention may be carried out.

Referring now to the drawings in which similar parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, it is believed that a clear understanding of the invention will be had therefrom when considered in conjunction with the following description.

For the sake of clarifying the following description a brief explanation of the operation of the form of printing telegraph systemsV embodied herein will be given first, followed by a disclosure of the operation of ythe complete translating system, and then later followed by a detailed description of the parts of the system necessary for a full understanding of this invention.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a brief description of the operation of the printing telegraph system disclosed in the aforesaid Watson patent will be 401 given. In the figure B represents a printing telegraph unit which-may be of any well known type having a series of character pivoted key bars I0 and is adapted to initiate a character impulse when the character key is depressed. A separate contact il is associated with eachl individual key barr I0 and connected to contacts or segments i2 corresponding to the character represented by each key bar.

Rotary arm I3 driven by any suitable means 50 is adapted to engage the contacts I2 in rather rapid succession to initiate 'the character pulse by discharging the condenser i4 coacting with the transmitting commutator I5. An individual condenser isprovided for each character key Cir bar I0, and is charged by depressing the key III to close the chargingcircuit through contact I6 associated with the key bar I0, battery I1, condenser Il, and key bar I0. The condenser is discharged during a predetermined interval of time when-the rotary arm engages the particular character segment I2 through the circuit closed by contact II and fully described in the aforesaidpatent. Provision is made for depressing the key bar I0 by the energization of an attached solenoid I8.

It must be understood that transmitting units of the type just explained are characterized by the provision that the different characters to be transmitted and received are represented by single impulse signals which are definitely allocated during particular timed intervals.

The character impulse as produced by the printer transmitter units B and C in the manner as just explained, is then conducted to the radio l or line Wave transmitter D to effect transmission of the signal impulse in a manner that is well known and need not be further explained, and is received in the usual manner by the wave receiver unit E. The received impulse is then passed to the receiving commutator or distributor F and the printing telegraph receiver unit in a manner fully disclosed in the aforesaid patent to record the character corresponding to the character transmitted. It is to be understood that the rotary arm I9 of distributor 20 is rotated by suitable means in synchronism with the rotatingarm I3 of distributor l5 which is disclosed in the said mentioned patent.

It is well known how the synchronous distributors are used in the art and applied to this type of system to effect the correct selection of the type bar 2| which is depressed by energization of attached solenoid 22, and each character solenoid which in turn is connected to the distributor segments or contacts 23, and therefore needs no further explanation.

Operation 26 by virtue of a vcharacter perforation in the' character storing means. The circuit is completed when a perforation is sensed as follows: from grounded battery 28 current is conducted to solenoid I8, the corresponding sensing brush 25, feed roller 26 which is adapted to be a conductor and grounded as indicated by line 29. When no perforation is sensed the said roll or sheet'prevents the brushes from completing the solenoid circuits to energize the circuits.

The device as shown at A is provided with a horizontal transverse roller 28 which supports and feeds the elongated perforated paper sheet 21, this sheet beingwide enough to contain a longitudinal series of perforations for the control of each corresponding sensing brush 25. It is adapted sol that the position of a single perforation on the said sheet indicates the particular character representation.

Therefore when the' sheet is fed continuously to the sensing device by suitable means, such as motor 30, and when the particular brush 25 senses the corresponding character perforation, the solenoid I8 is energized as previously explained to depress key bar I0 to record the character corresponding to the character perforation sensed by the said brush 25.

Upon depression of key bar III and upon engagement of the corresponding segment I2 by rotary arm I3, a character signal is transmitted over the net work to be received and recorded at the receiving printer unit G, in a manner as explained hereinbefore.

In this manner a plurality of recording units may be automatically controlled by a prepared character storing sheet to record the characters corresponding to the prepunched character representations.

It has been found, however, in order to obtain the maximum transmission speed from a like system that it is necessary to feed the record sheet 21 in synchronism with the recording mechanism. A preferred method for accomplishing this synchronism will be explained as follows.

Referring to Fig. 4A, the rotary arm 3l of the transmitting distributor 32 is attached to shaft 33 of motor 34 and is adapted to rotate arm 3l at a predetermined speed to cause arm 3l to engage the distributor contacts 35 in succession. An extension of the said motor shaft coacts with a speed reduction unit 36 to drive feed roller shaft 31 to rotate the feed roller at a definite speed, so that during a single complete rotation of arm 3| the speed of the feed roller is such that the perforated sheet is fed a distance equal to the distance spacing the longitudinal series of perforations, or that distance as indicated between the center lines 38 of perforations 39.

By synchronizing the sheet feed roller and transmitting distributor in this manner, it is seen that there is no loss of transmission time becauseof improper spacing between the character perforations, that is by spacing the perforations too far apart on the elongated sheet. From the above explanation, therefore, it is obvious that upon sensing a character perforation, a character impulse corresponding to the said perforation is transmitted by the printer transmitting units B and C in Fig. 4A before the following perforation is sensed by the brushes. It is understood how the impulse is transmitted from the transmitter unit D to the receiving printer. unit and recorded by the printer from the previous explanation, and therefore further disclosure of its operation is not necessary.

Sensing device Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the device is shown as. provided with a horizontal transverse feed roller 26, which supports and feeds an elongated perforated paper sheet 21, this sheet being wide enough to contain a longitudinal series of perforations for the control of each key lever of the transmitting or registering unit. The rollex` 26 is provided, at its ends, with feed pins 40, whichengage marginal perforations in the paper sheet, to maintain correct registration of the paper. direction of the arrow in-Flg. 2 by any suitable means, one form as shown by the motor 3U directly connected to the shaftjl to which the roller 26 isrigidly attached. The shaft 4I supporting the feed'roller is mounted on end supports 42 which are fixed to the base 43. It is to be noted that the support 42. on one end as 'I'he roller is drivenconstantly in the shown in Fig. 3 is proportioned with respect to the roller 26 so that segments of the roller protrude on both sides of the support.

It was explained lhereinbefore that the sheet 21 when fed by roller 26 separates the roller 26, which is a conducting element, from the sensing brushes 25 which in normal operating position and support 42 and its base 43 have a gap wide enough so as to permit ingress and egress of the paper sheet to the device.

Attached to brackets 45 are arms 48 circumferentially arranged around roller 26 and sup' porting rotatable sheet followers 49 which are adapted to hold the rotating sheet in proper position during its motion. An extension 50 of the bracket 45 is shown and adapted when thebrush sensing head is in a raised position, as indicated in Fig. 2, to act as a guide for the sheets when removed or replaced in the device. The brush sensing head which is locked in its normal operating position by lock pin 5I, may be released by operation of pin 5l so as to permit the raising of the sensing head.

While there has'been shown and described and pointed out Athe fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions 'and changes in the `form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is l the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

' What is claimed'is:

l. In atranslating system, the combination of a continuously fed character storing means, means adapted to transmit character impulses having similar characteristics during a predetermined timed interval, the time ofy transmission therein representing the particular characters, means to control the operation of said transvmitting means inaccordance with the character representations of. said storing means, and means included in said transmitting means to initiate character impulses corresponding to the said character representations. f

2.` In a translating system, the combination of a continuously fed perforated sheet bearing character representations, means adapted toA transmit character impulses having similar characteristics during a predetermined timed interval, the time of transmission therein representing the particular characters, a plurality of circuits, means to energize a particular circuit of said plurality of circuits according to the location of a perforation on said sheet, and means controlled by said energized circuit to` operate said transmitting means, and means included in said transmitting means to initiate a character impulse correspondingto the character represented on said sheet. 3. In a translating system, means to transmit character impulses `having similar characteristics 'during a predetermined timed intervahthe time of transmission therein representing the particular characters, means to receivesaid character impulses, a perforated sheet with character representations, rotary feeding means, means to set in motion said feeding means which supports and feeds said sheet continuously,.sensing means associated with said sheet while in motion to control said transmitting and receiving means to transmitand receive the characters corresponding to said character representations on the said sheet.

4. In a translating system, means including ro tary distributor means to transmit character impulses having similar characteristics during a predetermined timed interval, the time of trans-4 mission therein representing the particular characters, a perforated sheet with character representations, rotary feeding means, means to set said feeding means invmotion which supports and feeds said sheet continuously so as to operate in synchronism withsaid distributorsensing meansv associated with said sheet while in motion to control said transmitting means toy transmit the characters corresponding to said character representations on the-said sheet. 'A

5. In a translating system, means including rotary contact means to transmit character impulses during a predetermined timed interval, the time of transmission therein representing the particular characters, a controlling sheet with a plurality of perforations thereon representing characters, rotary feeding means for said sheet, means to operate said feeding means to feed the said sheet a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing between said perforations during the timed interval the said contact means rotate one means included in said translating device and associated with said perforated sheet to trans# form the said character perforations to electrical impulses, means controlled by the said electrical impulses to 'selectively control the operation of said transmitting means to transmit character impulses corresponding to the said character perforations.

WALTER S. LEMMON. 

